ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith is under fire again for something he said on TV, but this time it has nothing to do with sports.
During his Wednesday appearance on The Sherri Show, Smith admitted he was looking forward to Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime show this year, but he also wished that another artist would perform: Beyoncé.
“One thing she’s not, she’s not Beyoncé,” Smith said, to gasps and boos from the crowd. “The only reason I approached Beyoncé is because Beyoncé recently performed at the Super Bowl.”
Needless to say, Rihanna fans weren’t happy with Smith’s comments. This prompted ESPN analysts to share a three-minute video apology for Rihanna and her fans.
“I will own it. I know what you guys are trying to do, but I’m going to own it because I’m getting paid to make a living, so I have to be more careful,” Smith said. “I want Rihanna to know that you are a superstar, you are sensational, you are spectacular, you are no joke and you are a worthy person to do the Super Bowl halftime show.”
Smith reiterated that he only mentioned Beyoncé because she had previously appeared on the Super Bowl halftime show, but not alone as she had only joined Bruno Mars and Coldplay. He said he will always compare each Super Bowl halftime show to the year these three artists performed together.
At the end of the video, Smith wishes Rihanna the best of luck for her show, which takes place on Sunday February 12th.